FAMOUS MANNEQUIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 103, 2 May 1936, Page 15

FAMOUS MANNEQUIN.

ARRIVAL IN AUCKLAND. THE DESIGNING OF CLOTHES. A popular mannequin and reputed to be the most beautiful woman in Australia, Miss Margaret Vyner, arrived in Auckland by the Mariposa this morning on her return to England. Most women will know the magical name of Patou, the famous dress designer, and to hear from his favourite mannequin, the methods of his work makes one realise his sheer artistry and understand what a. loss his death meant to the world of fashion.

"Ho was indeed a remarkable man," said Miss Vyner this morning. "To be a mannequin in his salon was a privilege and an experience which I shall never forget." 'This is how Patou models. He would collect pile of patterns, summon his tHHhs and his secretary. Taking design from the table he would it, select a suitable material, and then look around for the right mannequin. Perhaps he would consider that a blonde was the very one he wanted. Then ho would drape tlie material on the model and stand back and survey the effect. Perhaps a brunette would be more suitable—or a "red head." With the greatest care Patou selected the right type of mannequin. Having made up his mind, he would send for the best of his dressmakers ,to handle that particular kind of frock, and instruct her to make a perfect model, using a. coarse linen. This then bacame the pattern, and. if the ultimate material were to be a striped

one, stripes were draavn on this pattern. When everything was exactly as he wanted it, flowers, or a belt or girdle chosen, then Patou allowed the n\odel to be made for the mannequin to parade. Mannequins, said Miss Vyner, were not always beautiful. Indeed, many of them were distinctly plain. But their figures had to be neat. Long legs were not essential, for many gowns required a short type to show them to advantage, but whether tall or short, the mannequin had to have neat bones and narrow hips. When she first went to Patou's salon Miss Vyner was told to watch the other mannequins walk. At first she thought this a waste of time, for it seemed to her a very natural thing to walk naturally. But Patou insisted that she spend at least - six weeks watching, and it was only then that he allowed her to appear in his collections. Her training also included instruction in how to wear the clothes. Wearing just a short tunic, she was tolcl to imagine that she had on a sports suit, a long, clinging evening frock, or a particularly fluffy negligee, and was then asked to walk around the room as though she were parading the piyticular style to advantage. "And it's not very simple at first," said Miss Vyner, "to swagger about in imaginary tweeds, to be sopliisticatedly bored in imaginary full evening dress, or to be sufficiently relaxed in an imaginary rest robe. While in Australia, Miss Vyner played a part in the film "The Flying Doctor.' Extremely tall and slim, with fan shining hair and enormous eyes, she looks every inch a film actress. But I'm not, really" she added. "I don t "particularly like film work, though I am interested in films, and am as much a "fan" as anybody else. I am certainly looking forward to meeting the stars at Hollywood, though I have no intention at the moment of doing film work in America." T Before she left England, Miss Vynei was with the famous young dress cfb signer, Norman Hartnell, whom, it will be remembered, designed Lady Alice Scott's trousseau before her marriage to the Duke of. Gloucester. When she arrives in London again, Miss Vyner will take up liar work again at Norman Hartnell's salon.